Insomnia -- complete ( watch for sequel)
by poxelda
Summary: While suffering from severe sleep deprivation will Mac be able to help his team fight an army?
1. Chapter 1

Thank you all for your kind comments! I am trying my hand at a multichapter story. I own nothing but the little dog. Also...Formatting! Old dogs and new tricks, right?

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"You can't right swipe someone who describes herself as crazy fun!"

"Why not? She's cute and has a great set of…"

"You know who loves crazy fun? Serial killers, that's who." Jack sighed unable to ignore any more bickering of Riley and Bozer. He opened his eyes. The two were seated side by side across from him. The plane was still dim. Jack felt like he weighed a million pounds in each muscle. He stretched and sat up in one easy motion.

"She's right Boze, crazy fun does not equal fun. Trust me I've dated crazy it never ends well." He smiled when his younger team mates looked at him with guilt. He yawned and looked at his watch. He did some calculations. He'd gotten at least ten hours of good sleep. He glanced outside. The horizon was beginning to tint yellow. He figured they had another hour in the air. He sat back down and wiped his face. The others eyed him worried. He smiled to reassure them. They had had three back to back missions. It had seemed like the world was sprouting wildfires all over and they were the only firemen on the planet. He admitted it had been hard on him. Bozer and Riley showed the wear and tear too. Of course, the one who carried the brunt of it was Mac. It was always Mac.

Jack looked down the cabin and sat up straighter. Where he expected to see a curled up sleeping MacGyver was a neatly folded blanket.

"Where's Mac?" Bozer pointed aft.

"He said something about helping Andre make a birthday gift for Ellie, do you know she's three this year?"

"Huh…Did he get any sleep" Riley frowned.

"He was awake when I nodded off. And he was gone before I woke up."

"How much sleep did you get?" Riley looked at her watch and frowned. She looked at Jack worried.

"About six hours, but I slept last night at the hotel." Jack nodded. He mentally tried to count how many hours of sleep Mac had gotten over the last week…it had only been a week? Felt like a month had been crammed into every day. Jack scowled unable to come up with a figure that would take up more than one hand. He stood up and headed aft. He almost tripped over Mac who sat on his haunches just behind the curtain linking the cabin to the galley.

Mac smiled up at him. Jack looked down his eye brows raised. Dancing on the floor in front of Mac was an adorable dog. It wagged its tail, sat up barked at him and even had a tongue come out and wag at him. As far as Jack could tell it was made of foil, metal gears, paperclips and seat cushion leather. Two members of the four-man flight crew were down on all fours laughing at it. They moved their hands near it and it would rear up and yip at their hands. Jack raised a questioning eyebrow. Mac smiled tiredly.

"Just used the photo lens from a cell phone to make a little motion detector." The taller of the flight crew who has a neat brush of red hair grinned down at Mac and shook his hand.

"I can't thank you enough MacGyver. After missing Ellie's birthday when we were in Bogotá, I had to bring back something or Hannah would have done me in for sure!"

Mac shook his hand and slowly stood up.

"It has been a busy week." Mac agreed with a heavy tiredness in his voice.

"Anytime I can do anything for you…" Andre gushed. Jack smiled.

"You can be the one to tell Maddie her plane is carved up and another cell phone has been dissected." Jack said. Andre's eyes went wide and he took a step back. No one liked to be on the other end of Maddie's ire. Andre straightened up and pulled his flight uniform jacked down.

"Don't you worry Mac. I'll take all the heat." He said nodding down. Mac chuckled and waved his hand turning back to sit down.

"Brave man." Jack said.

"Amazing what we do for family." Mac chuckled. Jack followed him and didn't return the smile. He took in Mac's condition. Mac was pale. His eyes looked like they'd been plucked out rolled out onto the carpet then stuck back into bruised holes. His shoulders slumped and his normal fluid grace was reduced to a slow shuffle. Jack waited until he plopped into the nearest seat before sitting across from him. Mac sat back his eyes closed and rested his arm across his forehead.

"Did you get any sleep?" Mac dropped his arm and slowly opened his bloodshot eyes. He looked blankly at Jack. Jack realized that Mac was trying to remember the last time he'd slept. Not a good sign. Mack sighed and leaned forward rubbing his face with his hands. He shook his head.

"Honestly I don't remember."

"None since New Zealand?" Mac looked at Jack blankly. Jack was beginning to wonder if Mac even remembered New Zealand. Jack was about to suggest that Mac could catch at least an hour but then he felt the airplane begin its decent. Mac smiled at Jack tiredly and nodded. He'd been thinking the same thing.

"I'll sleep when I get home." Mac said through a chain of yawns. He blinked and wiped his eyes. "Assuming another apocalyptic disaster doesn't need diffusing." Jack nodded watching the familiar city scape of Los Angeles grow out the window. Mac would get his sleep, no matter what.

Mac blinked, surprised to find them pulling up to his home. He frowned. He didn't remember getting off the plane. Had they debriefed? He glanced over to find Jack driving. They were in Jack's car. He glanced in the back. It was empty. Jack noticed his confusion. It raised his worry even higher. Mac had stumbled through part of the briefing before Maddie had ordered Jack to take him home. Bozer offered to drive Riley home. Mac had stumbled to the car without protest and had stared out the window still as a mannequin. Jack had been in enough combat to know the symptoms of sleep deprivation. Mini-naps they were called. Mac had literally slept while he sat awake in the car. He put a shoulder on the confused younger man's shoulder.

"It's ok bud, you're home. Maddie gave us some time off for R and R." Mac stared at him a long moment before nodding.

"Ok, bye." He turned and got up out of the car. He leaned against the car a second. Jack wasn't sure if he was lightheaded or confused. Neither was good, Jack decided. He turned off the car got out and guided Mac by the arm. Mac allowed him to until they were at the door. Mac shook his head and looked at Jack in surprise.

"What're you doing? I'm fine." Jack didn't like the slight slurring in his partner's voice. Jack didn't answer, the fact that Mac didn't pull his arm away saying it all.

Jack sat a pair of PBJ's and pretzels in front of MacGyver. MacGyver frowned up at his friend.

"For breakfast?"

"Breakfast? Dude it's 2:00…PM."

"What?" Mac stood up almost knocking his chair over with his surprise he looked outside the window. Instead of the breaking dawn he expected the sun was high overhead. He sank back down. He shook his head.

"I can't…" His voice trailed off and he looked up at Jack confused. Jack could read his face. Where had the day gone? Jack placed a beer on the table beside Mac's plate and sat beside him sipping his own.

"It's called sleep deprivation, buddy. You'll be fine after you get about a gazillion hours of sleep." Mac smiled around his beer.

"Gazillion? Really?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Fine, whatever. Eat then sleep." Mac tore into his meal. Jack watched surprised. He got up and fed Mac two more sandwiches and another beer before Mac looked up contented.

"Damn, bud, I thought you'd eat my arm if I got too close." Mac laughed patting his belly. "I just might have."

"Now sleep."

Mac glared at the clock. He tossed and turned. He closed his eyes. He tried deep breathing. He growled and punched his bed. He refolded his pillows. He pulled the covers up, he threw them off. Snarling in frustration, he got up and took a hot shower. He saw Jack curled up snoring on the couch and growled. Why couldn't he sleep? He leaned under the hot water. He felt his tight muscles unclench. He was exhausted. Mac turned off the shower. He almost faceplanted after bumping into the door on his way to his bed. He flopped in bed and let the soggy towel around his hair flop to the ground. He closed his eyes, feeling calm, warm…He could feel the bastard numbers of the alarm clock mock him. He huffed in anger pulled the alarm clock off the bedside table threw it on the floor and stomped on it four times. He grabbed it by the wire slammed it against the wall then slammed it in the closet with a howl of victory. Breathing hard with still unvented fury he sat on the bed grabbing onto the side of the mattress with white knuckles.

"Can't sleep?" Jack asked dryly from the doorway. Angus turned to face him very slowly, and very, very carefully lazed the top of his head off with the nastiest glare he'd ever given anyone. Jack nodded and backed out the doorway a hand raised in peace. Mac stood up grabbed the door and slammed it behind him, he opened it and slammed it again, still irritated he opened it pulled it back as far as he could and with all his weight behind it slammed it hard enough for the paneling to crack. He smiled, but the frustration didn't ease. He went over to the bed and plopped on the floor beside his bed. He closed his eyes and felt himself wail, or not cry, but really want to. He squeezed his eyes shut, grabbed the pillow and screamed into it until he was gasping for air. He laid on the floor breathing hard beginning to relax.

The door opened a crack and a hand waved a white towel.

"It's fine, Jack. I'm done with my tantrum." Jack peeked in. Mac expected to get teasing, instead he saw genuine worry in his friend's eyes. Mac sighed in relief. Murdering your best friend is not a good look. Jack held out two pills and a glass of milk. Mac asked with his raised eyebrow.

"They'll help you sleep." Jack offered. Mac wanted to ask more, protest…but he was too exhausted to care. He held out his hand and took the pills without comment. He drank the whole glass of milk around another round of yawns. He closed his eyes.

"Let me help you off the floor." Jack said coming closer. Mac shot him another laser glare.

"The floor is a perfectly acceptable place to sleep. Most of the people around the world sleep on floors. Floors are underrated." Jack nodded.

"That so?" Mac growled and turned on his side curling up. He snatched the pillow from Jack's hand. Jack, let it go and dropped the blanket gently over Mac. Mac gave no acknowledgement. Jack sighed and turned off the light. He paused on the other side of the door. He could still hear the kid grumbling and squirming. Jack's worry didn't ease. Part of him thought an exhausted Mac was hilarious but he also knew how dangerous going without sleep for too long could be. He frowned trying to think of what he could do to help his friend. He thought of going in and talking to him, trying to calm him down, but a round of swearing and the sound of feet pounding against the wall changed his mind. Mac was at the stage of sleep deprivation where he was super sensitive to any stimuli of any kind. His presence would only make things worse. He took a deep breath praying that the pills would knock the kid out for a few hours at least. He sat down and leaned his back against the wall beside the door. He winced at the sound of words he didn't even knew Mac knew.

"Relax, go to sleep, relax…" He said softly over and over wishing he had a better lulaby.

* * *

Jack snorted as he snapped awake, his hand automatically going to his gun. It found an empty space. He sat up straighter then relaxed as he took in the surroundings. Jack stood up. He was still sitting outside Mac's door. He stretched and cracked his neck waking up. He glanced at his watch. 10:00 AM. He leaned forward and carefully opened the cracked door. He winced. The small click of the door latch sounded like a gunshot. He peeked in and frowned. Mac wasn't in bed or on the floor…Jack blinked and chuckled. He saw one naked hand and foot peeping out from under the bed. He silently crossed to the side of the bed and lifted the covers. He grinned and fought to keep from laughing out loud.

Mac was sprawled under the bed surrounded by shoes, clothes, various metal bits and dust bunnies. No, Jack corrected, dust lions. The clumps under Mac's bed would have eaten most others Jack had ever seen. Mac's hair was straggled in all directions, his face to the side and drool ran from his mouth to pool on the hardwood floor. Jack shook his head and argued with himself whether it would be better to try to clean up around Mac, pull him out and plop him on the bed or leave him like he was. Jack dropped the covers and got to his feet his knees popped as he stood. Mac had finally fallen asleep around 7:00. Jack decided that Mac needed sleep more than anything. There was also the sleeping pills Jack had given him. They had some very odd side effects if at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep didn't follow taking them. Jack remembered finding himself sleeping upright leaning against his bedroom door which at some point of the night he had made up as a perfect quarter-bounceable bunk. Weird times.

Jack decided to leave Mac as he was. He pulled out his phone. That didn't mean he couldn't get something for future blackmail. Before he could stoop to take the pictures, he heard the hum of a motor outside. Riley and Bozer. He silently exited the room and carefully closed the door behind him. He hurried to cut them off before they came in the house. He didn't want them to wake Mac up, and he confessed to himself, he really didn't want to be caught skulking around Mac's room while he was under the bed. Not that he ever skulked. He stealthed, like a panther. Jack could hear Mac. _That's not a word._ Sure, it is genius, one that I made up and a good one too. Jack shook his head as he ducked out the front door. Was he just arguing with himself about a word he created that he thought was cool? Maybe Mac wasn't the only one out of sorts. God, did they need this R and R.

"Look at this one, Riley! Cynthia Jean" Bozer suckled the name his eyes closed.

"What? No, Bozer, trust me that is not the girl for you." Bozer glanced down at the picture of a beautiful woman with soul full eyes and beautiful full lips.

"Why not? She's gorgeous! She's got deep, soul full eyes, adorable chipmunk cheeks and— "

"And a prominent Adam's apple." Riley said with a smile. Bozer's eyes snapped open.

"What!?" He looked down at the picture and sure enough Cynthia Jean had a large Adam's apple. "She's a dude!? Oh, man!"

Riley laughed at Jack's confused look as he joined them.

"Bozer's looking at dudes now?" Jack said grinning.

"No, I'm not!" Bozer snapped. He paused then continued, "not that there's anything wrong with that— "Jack laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. He grabbed the phone and looked at Cynthia Jean. He whistled and nodded.

"Don't blame you if you did, Dude. He's hot!"

"She." Riley said rolling her eyes. They both looked at her surprised. She waved at the picture. "She." When they continued to look at her nonplussed she rolled her eyes.

"Where's Mac? We were just going to get some donuts and coffee." Jack's face fell as he gave Bozer back his phone.

"He's finally sleeping. He had a rough time getting to sleep."

"Too tired to sleep." Bozer said. Jack nodded.

"And very, very cranky. It's better if we let him sleep. We can bring back some donuts…and maybe coffee." Bozer yawned.

"I could use a month of sleep." He said.

"Especially after last night." Riley laughed. Jack moved faster than anyone expected. He had Bozer against the car lifting him onto his toes. Bozer's eyes widened as Jack's furious eyes reached defcon levels of dangerous.

"Last night? What happened last night? Answer as if your life depends on every word you say." Jack said his grip tightening.

"W…we slept…on the couch…together…NOT together…I was on the couch, Riley was on bed…IN bed, ALONE…" Bozer's voice disappeared to a squeak as he closed his eyes waiting for pain, or yelling, or…his imagination flashed through some very unpleasant scenarios. None guaranteed a complete set of limbs or consistent breathing. Nothing came. Bozer opened one eye. Jack smiled at him. He released his grip, stepped back and carefully unwrinkled the front of Bozer's shirt.

"Good. That's good." Jack nodded at his car as if nothing had happened. "Let's take my car." Bozer sat panting. He smiled weakly at Riley who laughed following Jack. Bozer hesitated a long moment, checking his bladder before following them.

"So, what were you doing all night?"

"We're trying to find Boze a date for tomorrow night." Riley said as she climbed into the back of Jack's car before either of the guys could protest.

"What's going on tomorrow night?" Jack asked frowning at Bozer. Bozer gaped at him and leaned back against the door as a small flash of warning crossed Jack's face. Bozer fervently wished Mac was with them at that moment. Jack rolled his eyes and pointed, "Seatbelt?" Bozer smiled and breathed out deeply. He nodded. Jack turned his attention to backing out of the drive.

"There's a gala opening at a new boy's and girl's club. Penny's been working to put on a play she wrote based on Lewis Carrol's Alice." Riley said.

"Oh yeah?" Jack smiled. He liked Penny Parker but she was a bit of a flake—a too happy flake. He chuckled remembering her talking Thornton into attending Mac's "intervention" about Nikki.

"I didn't think she could pull something like that together."

"Oh, she's been working on this for a long time. You remember she talked about it at the Halloween party?" Bozer said. Jack scowled. He had enjoyed the party, but at the time he was too worried about Mac and the fallout from running into the Ghost again to really take in anything.

"She wrote the play as the thesis for her Master's. She's gotten a lot of businesses to fork out donations for the new center and the gala." Riley said. "She's even got kids from the neighborhood to be actors in the play. If it works out, this could completely revitalize that part of East LA."

"I'm impressed." Jack said. And he was. He remembered the community Penny had talked about. It was a bad part of town but there were still enough people with deep enough roots to hold on and turn it around, with a little help.

"Yeah, everyone's excited." Bozer said. Jack pulled up to the donut shop. They didn't talk until they finished annihilating almost a dozen donuts between them. Jack set aside the remaining glazed ones, knowing those were Mac's favorite.

"So, you need a date?" Jack asked Bozer savoring a deep sip of hot coffee.

"Yeah, I'm the director and master of ceremonies, I was going to ask Riley— "Jack's eyes narrowed and Bozer swore he could hear a Pitbull growl.

"But I'm running lights and sounds." Riley finished her mouth quirking in a smile that was both amused and annoyed. Jack sat back and smiled again.

"Cool," he looked over at Bozer with a big grin. "I still say you should ask Candy Lane— "

"Cynthia Jean."

"Whatever. Ask HER." Jack arched an eyebrow at Riley who nodded and saluted with her cup of coffee. "After all, you have a lot in common, you know make up and whatever…" Bozer glared at Jack.

"Prosthetics, Jack, I do prosthetics and masks. Does no one appreciate my art?" Jack decided to stop the teasing. He leaned forward and let Bozer off the hook.

"Of course, we do, Bozer. I was just saying you like the theater…and SHE," Jack shot Riley a look, "likes to dress up and whatever…" Jack trailed off at the glares he got from his younger team mates.

"Are you seriously comparing an individual's identity choice to theater?" Riley asked, her voice burned with genuine outrage. Jack backed up.

"No…" He saw that was the wrong answer. "Maybe…Ok I guess I was. I'm just saying all the great directors keep an open idea about their options, bud. Think outside of the box." To Jack's relief, Bozer was mollified by the compliment.

"Thank you, Jack. I think I will take your advice into consideration." Jack smiled at Bozer's beaming face, he turned to Riley only to be stopped by the disbelief and irritation in her glare. He could feel the wind up to what was sure to be a bruising tongue lashing.

"So, what time is this shindig?" Jack asked trying to change the subject.

"The play starts at six after a neighborhood barbeque, the gala is after that…but we have to…Oh No!" Bozer looked at his watch with wide eyes and jumped to his feet.

"What's wrong, bud?" Jack asked.

"Penny, we were supposed to meet at 11:00 to go over costuming and props." Jack glanced at his watch jumping to his feet. They had 5 minutes, if she was on time. Just from the few times he'd met her, Jack knew Penny Parker would most likely be early.

"Damn, we have to head her off before she wakes up Mac." Riley said quickly gathering their sprawled breakfast debris.


	2. Chapter 2

_Something slammed into his forehead sending white flashes across his eyes. He opened his eyes, he was in a cage! Something heavy and dark was above him—he was buried alive! Something grabbed his foot, he kicked out. He heard an animal wail. He went to kick again, but nothing was there. He punched at the cage. Spiders crawled across his face! He brushed them aside, he was suffocating! He thrashed, he couldn't breathe. Something grabbed his foot, he was getting pulled down…No! He screamed in blind panic. He kicked out and felt his heel connect with something solidly…still he was dragged…light…he could move…something grabbed his waist…Dead! It was the dead! Cold hungry hands dragging him underground, he was trapped. His hands and legs were held down… He was going down, down…falling…he screamed and arched his back…he managed to get his right hand free, he shot out an elbow. It connected with something solid…he kicked out hard…he didn't connect but the thing tangled around his legs let him go. He rolled away and went to stand up. He was pulled back to the hard ground. His ragged breathing was halted by the body slam. Something heavy sat on top of him…crushing him. He lashed out. His left fist hit something solid. Clamps fastened on his wrists held them down. Gas mask…not again…No! He howled trying to buck the thing off him. Torture…torture…no, no, no not again! Please, no! Not again!_

"Damnit, Mac!" Jack said trying to break through the panicking form thrashing under him. Mac was rasping in air too fast, his face was red, hair stuck to the sweat pouring from him. Jack was close enough to see his eyes. The pupils were so large Jack could barely see any blue. Jack leaned more on his friend's chest cursing himself. This was all his fault. The damn drugs—why had he left Mac under the bed? Mac's movements were beginning to slow down. Jack considered Mac's terrified eyes, they were looking more distant. Mac was about to pass out. Jack eased off his grip. "Mac! Mac! C'mon partner! Wake up, wake up. WAKE UP!" Jack's voice cracked across the room. Mac froze. Jack could feel the kid's pulse thud through his entire body—too fast, but his body was beginning to quiet. Jack eased up more. Mac's eyes blinked several times slowly. He was still breathing fast, but not heaving for air like he had been. Mac squinted up into Jack's face. Jack held his breath and leaned in closer giving Mac the time he needed to see him clearly. Mac relaxed his body.

"Jk?" Jack grinned and gently rolled off his partner. Mac took a few deep breaths and stared around him confused for a long moment. He turned toward Jack again and slowly pushed himself up to sitting with arms that shook. Jack sat back leaning against the closet door. He waited patiently dabbing at his split lip. The kid had a nasty right hook. Mac looked around him. His face was losing some of its redness and his breathing was easing back to normal. He brushed at his face and made a disgusted face flipping the clot of dust away from him.

"You really gotta clean under your bed, kid." Jack said.

"Bed?" Mac asked. His head dropped and he looked like he was having trouble holding it up. He reached up and rubbed his shoulder. He looked behind him. He finally realized he was in his own room, at home. His brain sluggishly put together the clues. "Why was I under the bed?" Jack shook his head trying to think of how to answer that. Mac looked at his wrists. Jack winced and looked away. His hand prints had left a shadow that was already purpling. Mac rolled his wrists and winced. He noticed the bruises. He looked up at Jack and noticed the blood trickling from his lip and a red bump swelling over his right cheekbone. Mac straightened up. Jack could see the realization hit him. "What happened to your face?"

"Look, Mac. It's my fault alright? All of this is my fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Jack said. Mac looked down frowning wondering why his brain wasn't working. His brain normally worked nimbly, like a well-oiled set of clockwork gears—too well sometimes—but now he could barely think. He felt like someone had stuffed his head with cotton balls. And it hurt. He leaned forward with a soft groan. "Mac?" Jack scooted over to his side in a single move. He ducked in close. Mac had his eyes closed and held his hands over his temples. "Mac? Talk to me man." Mac looked up with reddened vampire eyes. He squinted as if the dim light in the room burned him.

"We were on a plane?" Mac asked. Jack nodded and waited. "Dictator in New Zealand…" Mac frowned. No, that didn't sound right.

"No, warlord in Bogota." Jack said. Mac nodded bits coming back to him.

"Then the hostages at the Indian consulate…" He put in, his voice strengthening.

"Then the bomber in New Zealand." Jack added smiling. Mac was starting to return to normal. Mac nodded and tried to keep talking but a string of yawns stopped him. Jack frowned. Mac had slept about four hours, but it was not anywhere near enough to keep his sanity. "You needed some sleep…"

"What the hell pills did you give me?" Angus demanded. Jack shrugged and pulled out the bottle. Mac took the bottle and squinted at it. He rubbed his fingers over his eyes, blinked a few times then leaned in closer. He nodded and handed the pills back. "How long was I asleep?"

"You got about four hours."

"Under the bed." Mac's mouth rose at the corners. He chuckled and rubbed his hands over his face. He then tried to shake the dust off his hand. "I really do need to clean under there." Jack chuckled relaxing back.

"You need to make a little sweeper robot, you know something cute like that dog you made…" Mac frowned at him.

"Dog? What are you talking about?"

"Dog, the one you made for Andre's kid? She's turning three?" Mac frowned. Andre? He shrugged and leaned his head back. He was so tired. He felt hungover, everything ached and he felt chilled. He felt everything seem to fade a shade around him.

"…with me Mac?" Jack said. Mac blinked and looked over at his friend. He tried to smile reassurance. Judging by Jack's expression he failed horribly. Mac grunted and pushed off the side of the bed and stood up. Or he tried to. His legs were wobbly and he almost faceplanted. Jack seemed to uncoil from the ground to standing in one move. He managed to catch Mac's shoulders and pivot him to sit on the bed. Mac closed his eyes against the spinning of the world around him. He swallowed feeling his mouth water he was about to heave. He leaned forward, there was a flutter of movement and a blurry trash basket was thrust under his chin as his stomach tried its best to turn itself inside out. What his stomach lacked in food, it made up with in energy. His gut and chest muscles felt like a fist sharply working an empty tube of toothpaste. Finally, he could gasp in air and spit. The basket was taken away and replaced by a damp towel. Mac gratefully took it and wiped his whole face, letting it rest against his skin for a long minute.

"Is he ok?" Riley asked at the door. Jack glanced over at her. She held the basket away from her, her nose wrinkled.

"Worst. Hangover. Ever." Mac said through the damp towel. Jack and Riley shared a smile.

"Is Penny OK?" Jack asked. Before Riley could ask, Mac looked up quickly.

"Penny's here? What happened…?" Mac's eyes widened as he remembered kicking something. "Is she hurt? Did I…?" Mac jumped to his feet and almost fell over face first. Jack easily caught him. Mac turned a terrible chartreuse. Riley held out the basket. Mac closed his eyes leaning forward. Jack eyed him a long moment, holding him steady by the shoulders. Mac breathed in deeply. Slowly he opened his eyes. Jack looked at Riley and shook his head. Riley nodded and disappeared with the basket held in front of her. Mac slowly looked up at Jack. "Did I hurt her?" Jack hesitated. Alarm flared in Mac's eyes. He sat up straight. Jack kept him from rising.

"She was here for Bozer. They were working on some sort of Alice in Wonderland thing. Riley, Bozer and I stepped out to get some donuts. We saved you some, by the way," Mac grimaced, "Bozer'd forgotten that she was coming over. We tried to intercept her so she wouldn't wake you up. She was already inside when we got here." Jack trailed off. Mac glared at him. Sighing, Jack continued. "We heard screams. We came running and you were having your…" Jack trailed off. Nightmare? Flashback? Jack wasn't sure what kind of hell Mac had been in for that long few minutes.

"Did I hurt her?" Mac asked softly looking down.

"No, not really." Mac glared at Jack. Jack held up a hand in surrender. "You hit her nose pretty good. Bozer took her out of here. I don't think it's broken."

"Her face? I kicked her in the face?" Mac mumbled to himself. He rubbed his forehead with a shaking hand. He yawned again. He felt heavy, hollow. Nothing seemed quite real. He frowned and looked up at Jack. Jack looked down confused. There was an odd look on MacGyver's face he'd never seen before. Mac reached out a finger and poked Jack in the chest, hard.

"What the…?" Mac frowned then poked Jack's chin hard enough to turn his head. "Mac, what are you doing?"

"Am I asleep? Are you real?" Jack was about to laugh when he saw Mac's pupils begin to bulge again. He could feel his partner's body tense. Jack knelt to eye level with Mac.

"No, you are not asleep and yes I am real." Mac didn't seem completely sold on the idea. "Look Mac, you know the advanced stages of sleep deprivation as I do, add on the fact that the effects of the pills haven't even peaked yet, you aren't going to be firing on four cylinders for a while until you get more sleep. A lot more sleep." He went to push Mac gently down into bed. Mac stayed him with a hand on his arm. Jack frowned. Before he could protest, Mac nodded and raised his eyes to meet Jack's. There was an unease and tinge of fear Jack didn't understand.

"You're right, Jack. I will sleep. First I need to make sure Penny's ok then a shower."

"And a bite of real food in you." Mac seemed to turn a shade greener but nodded. He knew it would help absorb the sleeping pills. Mac yawned again and folded forward bracing his elbows on his knees. He yawned three more times and closed his eyes trying to summon the energy to stand. Jack put a hand on his shoulder. Mac looked up into his face, deeply lined with concern. "You just wait here. Bozer will help you in the shower…" Mac opened his mouth to protest that he didn't need help, but Jack put a finger across his lips. "Non-negotiable. I'll make sure Penny's ok and then we'll make you some food. Anything you're hungry for?" Angus closed his eyes and Jack smiled wondering if he was going to blow chunks again. "Never mind, we'll find something. After that you are going to sleep…a long, long, long time, alright amigo?" Mac looked down fighting off more yawns and just nodded. Jack patted his shoulder then left the room. Mac leaned over on his knees. He rubbed his forehead wishing he could just wipe away the layers of cobwebs there. He remembered feeling spiders…he shuddered and forced his eyes opened. He really, really didn't want to sleep if that was what was waiting for him under his eyelids.

"This really sucks." He told the empty room. Mac smiled when nothing answered him back.


	3. Chapter 3

So, are you ready to go down the Rabbit hole? The poem being chanted is Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. Thanks guys for hanging in, and bless you for your kind feedback. With this story, I've gone completely method.

"Is it drugs? Oh, my god, please tell me it isn't drugs…" Bozer handed Penny an ice pack. He saw Riley come out of Mac's room holding his trash can out as she walked to the bathroom. The noise of violence had quieted and he heard the soft tones of conversation. Bozer relaxed a notch. He closed his eyes and shuddered. The look on Mac's face when Jack finally got him out from under the bed…Bozer had grabbed Penny and pulled her to the living room while Riley and Jack had tried to settle Mac down.

"Bozer!" Bozer looked up at Penny's sharp tone. He put on his most charming smile. His smooth smile, Mac had called it.  
"No, it's not drugs, Penny. It's just…" He trailed off seeing Jack walk towards them. He stood up his heart beating with worry. Bozer had seen Jack take down eight guys in tack gear just this past week without breathing hard. He looked like he just got his ass whooped by an army as he crossed to him. His right cheek was swelling and his lower lip still dribbled blood. Bozer winced in sympathy. He knew exactly how fierce Mac could be when trapped. He'd learned when they were kids and Bozer went a little too far teasing his best friend.

"How is he?" Bozer asked pitching his voice low. Jack smiled, worry etched in every crease.

"He'll be fine if he could sleep." Jack bent down in front of Penny. Gently he reached up to the ice pack covering her face.

"Let me see, sweetheart." Penny looked at him wide-eyed. Riley bent down and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Jack may have a lot of flaws— "

"Thanks, Riles." Jack scowled up at her.

"But he really is good at this sort of thing." Penny frowned. She always wondered what Jack contributed to a think tank. He was sexy for an older guy, had a wicked sense of humor, and great taste in music, but he didn't strike her as a real intellect. Not like the others. His gentle smile and kind eyes reassured her. Maybe he was the medic there. He sure knew how to handle Mac when…whatever was going on was going on. She let him remove the ice pack. Jack winced in sympathy. He revised his diagnosis. Penny's nose was broken. It was double its normal size and seemed to be still swelling. Blood still trickled out. Bruising was beginning to show around the bottom of her eyes.

"Oh, my God, how bad is it?" Penny said. Jack stared at it a long minute. If it was him or Mac he'd just pop it back in place and tape it, but Penny…? Riley could see his indecision flit across his face.

"It's not too bad, "Bozer said sitting beside Penny and taking her hand. She stared at him.

"I'm gonna die aren't I? Oh, my God, my play, my gala…"

"Penny!" Jack snapped. Everyone looked at him surprised. Jack paused taking a deep breath. He forced his voice to be calmer. "No one died from a broken nose-"

"IT'S BROKEN!" Jack winced and glanced back at Mac's door. He hoped Mac's ears were as out of it as the rest of him.

"Penny, Penny!" Bozer raised his voice a notch to get her attention. "It's going to be fine. I've had a broken nose before. Remember tenth grade? The mannequin?" He ignored the amused looks of Riley and Jack. Penny smiled at the memory. "See, my nose is fine?" Penny peered at Bozer's nose closer a long moment before nodding. Her eyes teared up.

"Why did he kick me? I know I surprised him, but I had to make sure he was ok. Why was he passed out under the bed?" Riley and Bozer eyed Jack. Jack decided to go with the truth, well mostly.

"We all were working late all this week, last night we went out to celebrate the finishing of a…."

"…project," Riley helped. Jack nodded his thanks.

"Yeah, and it had been hard. Mac had hardly any sleep over the past week. Last night I gave him a sleeping pill to help him rest and…"

"…and he reacted funny to it. You know how weird he gets with meds sometimes." Bozer finished. Penny nodded.

"Is he going to be alright? Should we take him to the hospital?" Jack felt Bozer and Riley's heavy looks ask the same question.

"Nah, he'll be fine he just needs some rest. I do think you should go to the hospital and get that reset before it heals wrong. Wouldn't want anything scaring that pretty face of yours, would we?" Jack smiled, adding on all the Texas charm he could muster. He couldn't tell if Penny smiled behind the ice pack, but she seemed calm again.

"Here Penny, I'll take you to the hospital." Riley offered.

"Oh, thank you, you are all such wonderful friends." Penny leaned forward and hugged a surprised Jack. He awkwardly patted her on the back.

"Uh…no problemo. Go get that taken care of and don't worry. Me and Boze will get Mac all set for a long night of sweet sleep."

 _It was one of the long hallways of the Foundation. Mac squinted. Slow flashes of black light alternated with bright white flashes. The walls were covered with equations and diagrams too blurry for him to read. The floor rolled beneath him in waves. He saw shadows out of the corner of his eye. Black robe…no faces only black blankness…white furry gloves rising to make the shush sign as figures pivoted and vanished like black smoke…He walked faster, he had to…he frowned. He had to…the War room was just ahead. He heard a low murmur…chanting, words he almost knew…'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe…He looked through the window at the War room and slowed surprised. Mattie sat in a chair facing toward the screen wearing a dark green army general's uniform, with rows and rows of medals…the jaws that bite, the claws that catch…She turned to face Mac and gave him a winning smile. She lifted a hookah to her mouth and blew out a large circle that slowly floated across the room changing shape into a mechanical plan of a dynamo motor. MacGyver stepped forward. It was an interesting design…He took his Vorpal sword in hand…long time the Manxome foe he sought…Mac followed the chanting. Riley and Bozer sat in chairs across from each other. They were both dressed like mimes and were playing patta-cake without touching…their lips didn't move…and in uffish thought he stoon…the chanting came from them. With a shiver Mac recognized the voices, his mother and Murdoc…Mac felt sick…There was a loud snap. Startled he turned around. Where the door and window had been Penny in a sad clown's outfit with an enormous bleeding red nose stood at a teaching podium. She smacked it with a ruler that was four feet long and about a foot wide. She pointed it angrily at MacGyver. She spoke in a weird warble. Mac frowned realizing she was speaking backwards. He frowned his head splitting in pain, but suddenly he understood her. Pay attention! This is important! one, two! One, two! And through and through, the Vorpal blade went snicker-snack…Mac shut out the chanting, or tried to so he could focus on what Penny was saying. She waved the ruler backwards. It snapped against a green chalk board. In a puff of white chalk that changed to black smoke that seeped from her mouth her words wrote themselves across the board in Sanskrit…My thesis is about the nihilism seen in the book Alice in Wonderland…a world that personifies the existential absurdity of a card house…Mac heard soft crying. He turned. He saw a coffin raised on a hangman's gallows that was as tall as his shoulder…Jack in full desert cammos knelt beside it, he held an armful of gears and engine parts. He turned to face Mac. Mac sucked in a breath that felt dry and hot. Jack's face was covered with tears of blood running from his eyes. I tried, brother. I tried but I don't know how to fix it…help me fix it…he left it dead, and with its head…Mac felt his heart thumping wildly, a spotlight lit the coffin. His feet seemed to move on their own as he climbed the scaffolding slowly, dreading what he was going to see…this is important! Each of the characters are caricatures of a state of being that is created only in our Jungian imaginations…Mac froze and shivered looking down…he went galumphing back…Mac_ looked _down at his own body, broken into pieces, flat and shiny like broken mirrors…_

Mac jerked awake breathing hard. He was dimly aware of two people sitting on either side of him.

"Mac?" Mac looked to his right. Jack, blessedly normal Jack. Mac let out a deep breath of relief.

"Come on bro, let's get you in the shower." Mac looked to his left. Bozer looked like he was going to cry. Mac frowned.

"Are you ok, Boze?" He asked looking at his friend closely. Bozer's eyes widened and a smile broke across his face. He shook his head.

"Mac…you are so…YOU!" Mac found himself in a deep bro-hug. He looked over to Jack who just shrugged. Mac waited patiently. And waited.

"Boze…Boze…Boze!" Bozer straightened. Mac could see unshed tear in his eyes. He frowned wondering why.

"Ok let's get to the shower." Mac stared at Jack in confusion. As they grabbed either arm. He realized Jack meant they were taking him to the shower. He stiffened.

"What are you doing?!" His voice came out an indignant squeak. He cleared his throat and tried to pull away from them. His entire body seemed to be made from Jell-O, the room spun as he was hauled upright. His stomach rocked. They paused.

"You ok, bud?" Jack asked. Mac closed his eyes and swallowed. He nodded. They pulled his arms over their shoulders. Mac felt everything dim and his heartbeat pulsed in his ears like a giant having a temper tantrum. He was dimly aware of them moving him around, then warm water. He sputtered and coughed a second, until he realized he wasn't drowning. He smelled cinnamon and recognized the soap Bozer always had made for him out of some natural herb boutique. He relaxed as it was worked gently into his hair. Strong hands held him upright as he was scrubbed clean. Mac's head dropped and he closed his eyes feeling tension float away. The room grew heavy with fog, or was it another dream? If it was this is one he didn't mind staying in. Then the wonderful warmth stopped. Mac hummed in annoyance at the slight chill he felt as he flopped backwards, completely loose limbed. Again, he was dimly aware of movement around him. He felt himself drifting, flying…he was dimly aware of voices…food of the Gods, mac and cheese with bacon bits…then he was cocooned in soft fluffy warmth. He closed his eyes drifting into complete peace.


	4. Chapter 4

Riley chewed on one of the best barbeque ribs she'd ever had in her life. An elderly couple, the Webleys, had run the barbeque and they knew their stuff. They'd told her the sauce was a recipe their son had found while serving overseas. She quickly wiped her hands and flicked a switch. The lights on stage changed subtly until it lit up the stage. The audience stopped their excited murmur and turned to pay attention to the stage as a ragged red curtain slowly raised the left side just a little slower than the right. She smiled hearing the slight squeak above her high over the stage in the catwalks. The pulley system had been repaired by Mac. He'd been upset that the oil he used to make the pulleys run smoothly kept breaking down. Riley shook her head. No one else was worried. Getting an old broken down opera house in working order had taken a lot. Penny had gotten some funding from some executives and politicians who were trying to rebrand themselves as supporters of the "little" people. Riley gritted her teeth. It wouldn't surprise her if those same suits had been responsible for choking this neighborhood in the first place. Change the voter's mood; change the politician's promises.

Riley clicked a toggle switch. She wiped sweat from her forehead. The stage lights they had managed to get working were huge, dating back to the fifties. They were huge and hot. Riley scowled as a snap of static popped across the stage microphones. She bent over and tightened the electrical tape around a mass of wires soldered together. The microphone went louder for a second then began to work normally again. Riles sat back and smiled. Mac wasn't the only one who could jury rig something. Mac had planned on making the control center himself, but they had been called away for their week of hell. He had scavenged electronic recycling sites, hardware stores and junk yards. He had amassed a pile of odds and ends. Riley chuckled as she turned a small knob that once had been a heating dial for a Mercedes. Mac had described how he would set up the control center. Riley had listened enchanted by his enthusiasm and mesmerized by the ingenuity of his brain. She was in awe, and if she was honest, more than a little intimidated by Mac's ginormous brain as Jack would call it. Not that he knew everything. Mac was very honest when he didn't know something. And no one would ever call him arrogant. Many times it frustrated Riley when he didn't realize how cool he really was. She had known he was special the minute he had clicked open her handcuffs with a paperclip. Riley grinned as she flipped a switch and pulled a transmission lever down a notch to dim the lights on stage. No, no one would ever accuse him of being arrogant, especially if Jack was around.

Riley sat back and took a deep breath taking a sip of her iced tea. The control console didn't look like much, and was certainly more roughshod than Mac would have made, but she had done her best. The lights were basic, but worked. Her phone pinged. She lifted it and grinned. Jack had sent a snap of MacGyver curled up on the couch. His blond hair sprouted from his head like a dandelion's puff, he had a small smile on his face. Riley let out a breath feeling better than she had since they'd returned from New Zealand. Mac was finally resting and by the looks of it having sweet dreams. Riley looked down at the stage wings. The curtain wasn't big enough to cover the entire stage so they only had a small light lit on the side of the stage. Bozer looked up grinning. He pointed at his phone and shot her a thumbs up. Riley shot one back. Bozer showed the picture to Penny. Riley was happy to see her grin. She held nothing against Mac. They had been friends for too long, his first kiss, he'd said once. Riley turned back to the stage and moved the transmission handle back to drive. The lights lifted on the other side of the stage. Riley smiled as the audience gasped in delight. Penny had built the set from boards that had covered derelict shops abandoned around the neighborhood. She had them painted to look like cards. Each one had been personalized by the kids of the neighborhood. Some were drawn by the younger kids and some were intricate designs. They formed a city made like a house of cards. Penny had rattled off something about it symbolizing city blight caused by economic inequality. Riley didn't really understand, but they sure looked cool. Mac had mixed up something to put in the paint. He wouldn't tell anyone what it was, only grinned with mischief. He had set up the lighting over to the right of the stage himself and told Riley when he would turn it on during the play. Riley had done so and there was some sort of black light effect that made the cards seem to flip showing an actual city scape that looked like it was made of shining new silver.

"Oh, Mac." Riley murmured. A round of applause erupted through the theater. Bozer and Penny were doing a jig over in the wings. Riley waited until things settled a bit then turned on the next cue. In the wings a figure led two small children forward. She bent and straightened their costumes then sent them on stage. Riley shook her head. Cynthia Jean had ended up being the perfect date for Bozer after all. Turns out she was a professional director for an independent film production company. Her and Bozer had clicked together like excited puzzle pieces. Riley knew there would never be any kind of romantic attraction there, but there was definitely a great friendship building. Riley finished her ice tea just in time to click the last cue for act one. The stage dimmed and the curtains closed with a jerkiness no one noticed. Everyone in the audience gave a standing ovation. After it died down they sat back down and the hum of conversation filled the theater. Riley sat back and let out a deep breath. She was sticky with sweat. She stood up and carefully walked across the catwalk to the stairs leading behind stage. Mac had rigged up cables to reinforce the rusty metal and deemed it safe even jumping up and down on it to test it. Riley still didn't trust it. She was sure Mac's work would hold, she just wasn't sure about the ceiling above it.

Backstage was a bustle of people running to get to their second half costumes. Cynthia Jean had done them all proud. She had old professional costumes in storage. Whenever they went on sale or she came across something interesting in a shopping trip she bought whatever she thought was interesting. They had been full of mildew and stained. The wife of the old couple had suggested using hydrogen peroxide to clean them. Most of them had been brought back to vibrant life. A few had ended up looking like they had been bleached. Cynthia Jean had shrugged saying she wanted to do a post- apocalyptic movie anyway. Riley broke free of the melee to the open area of a seedy short hallway that opened to the dressing room. She stretched and sighed in relief at the coolness of the air vent that emptied right inside the door. Of all the theater the dressing room was the best preserved. The mirrors were lined with round lightbulbs that also dated back to the fifties. The air had been run in here to keep the room from heating and ruining the grease paint of the actors. A few flickered, a few were burnt out but it was still magical. Riley frowned. A cream- colored envelope was taped on the mirror. Beside it a computer printed photograph swayed with the breeze. Riley reached for it and froze her heart stopping. The picture was of Penny being dragged into a black background by two masked men in black hoods and tac gear. Riley snatched the envelope from the mirror. It wasn't sealed. She caught a whiff of a smell that reminded her of rubbing alcohol. Inside was a handwritten letter in a scrawl she recognized as Arabic. She was already moving, running for the door her thumb hitting speed dial.

"Jack! I need you here now! And bring Mac." She hung up on his urgent questions. She pushed her way through the busy crowd until she reached Bozer. She told him what she had found in curt short tones and showed him the picture. His eyes widened.

"What do we do?"

"Get everyone out of here, " She turned to Cynthia Jean. "Go call the cops, this smells like a chemical and that can't be good." They dashed off to their tasks without a word.

The Cobra's engine roared with a leonine growl as Jack sped through traffic. He glanced over at Mac who sat blearily wiping his eyes. His hair was still sprouting in all directions. He wore the white t-shirt and sweats he had been sleeping in. He still didn't look good, but he had the familiar alertness in his eyes as he braced himself against the dash. Jack smiled, he could hear his partner's gears begin to whir at normal speed. Mac turned.

"She didn't say what was wrong?" Jack frowned and shook his head. They had tried calling Riley and Bozer about a thousand times. Voice mail every time. Jack's heart beat loud. If anything happened to his girl…or Bozer…Anger fed more fuel to the adrenaline pumping through his muscles. His hands tensed and relaxed on the steering wheel wanting to beat the hell out of something, Jack smiled a dangerous smile, or better yet, someone—a lot of someones.

"Must be bad." He said shifting up and spinning the car through a deserted intersection with a blinking red light. They had entered the almost deserted downtown of the neighborhood. Jack gritted his teeth allowing the car to have its way before snapping down a gear. He ignored the soft moan of protest from the engine. Mac held on to the oh-shit handle tighter and closed his eyes. His stomach rumbled. He still felt fuzzy, and more than a little dizzy. Adrenaline had snapped him awake as he considered what dangers they might be facing. He mentally flipped through plans of the building and where possible assets could be located. Mac straightened up as they heard the howl of sirens getting louder as they drew closer to the theater. He saw one fire truck that had "hazmat" stenciled in gold on its side. He exchanged a serious look with Jack. Things were very, very bad. Mac reached over and grabbed Jack's phone. He hit Mattie's speed dial and quickly explained what he knew and what he needed. Mattie didn't waste time. She said she'd take care of it and hung up. Jack glanced over.

"She's cutting through red tape." Mac explained, bracing himself against the dashboard and wincing as the seatbelt tightened across his sore shoulder. Jack just nodded, his lips pushed into a tense white line.

They screeched to a stop and raced to the mobile headquarters. Police in full gear scrambled around them helping the crowd of civilians outside the perimeter. Mac ignored them and climbed inside the oversized grey van. The guy in charge was easy to spot—big, baldheaded and barking commands. Mac strode up to him.

"What do we have Captain?" The man barely spared him a glance.

"Sergeant get this civilian out of here. Mac felt strong arms twist his shoulder up behind his back and another one try to move around his neck. It never got there. Jack grabbed the guy by his tac gear and gracefully turned him away from MacGyver. The other cops stood up straighter and were a second away from pulling weapons.

"We're from the Phoenix Foundation!" Jack yelled holding up both hands to show they were nowhere near his sidearm. With a hand gesture from the Captain all the police stood down.

"You MacGyver?" the Captain asked Jack. Jack smiled and shook his head.

"He's MacGyver." The Captain stared at Mac in disbelief. This was the expert the brass had sent him? He looked like a sickly kid barely out of his teens.

"What have we got?" Mac repeated, his voice clipped with fury. It wasn't the mistaken identity, he'd gotten use to people not getting him. It was the loss of precious seconds. The cream-colored note was thrust into his hand.

"Terrorist cell threatening to take out all the people inside. We're getting them out as fast as we can, but the two doors to the lobby are bottle necked. We're looking at blasting a hole in the front." Mac studied the note a long second then handed it to Jack. He bent to study the theater ahead of them. White hazmat suites bobbed like marshmallows in the crowd as did paramedics. The theater was lit up by lights from overhead copters.

"Not terrorists." He said.

"What?" The Captain snorted. Mac wheeled on him as his eyes roamed the inside of the van and he ducked outside the doors looking around the organized chaos around him. Diesel smell, panicked cries, authoritative bellows, radio noises above it all…he'd been in so many disaster sites like this. "Mister, you better tell me what the hell you mean? We got homeland on their way…" the Captain's voice was little more than an animal growl. Jack stepped forward. Mac stopped him with a small shake of the head.

"Jihadists didn't write that note. They would have called it in to 911 for the most effect. They also would have posted their demands online, and they wouldn't waste time kidnapping Penny. They would just blow up the building or shoot people. No this is someone local with a lot of money." He started making his way through the milling crowd as fast as he could. He knew Riley and Bozer would be in the thick of things inside the theater.

"Money?"

"Stationary, bud. It's really fancy stationary."

"But it's in Arabic."

"Very bad Arabic." Jack said, "it's just a jumble of words like someone looked up and strung together…" Jack paused and sniffed the evidence bag detecting the chemical odor.

"Mac, is that…" Mac shot him a serious look back.

"Oh hell. This is so not good— "

"What the hell are you talking about-." A long volley of gunfire interrupted the Captain. Living in a very high crime area, the residents hit the ground and scuttled as fast as they could for cover. A few screamed in pain.

"Those bastards…" Jack snarled raising to one knee. He saw a long line of guys in tac gear enter the building from all directions. He snap counted around twenty. He aimed at instinct and fired at them. He was rewarded with one of them clutching his leg and falling to the ground howling in pain. A return round buzzed towards them as they ducked behind the front of two ambulances.

"We have to get in there." Mac yelled to Jack who ducked as a bullet ricocheted off the bumper only a few inches from his face. He drew back but did not appear fazed by it at all.

"Any ideas?" He yelled back firing off a couple shots. A pair of tac officers walked up behind him and gave him a carbine and a handful of clips full of ammo. Jack grinned. Now they were ready to rock and roll! He glanced over at his partner who was looking up. The buildings beside the theater had been condemned and looked like they were barely standing skeletons. They were also very tall. Jack followed his gaze to a firetruck with a huge metal ladder bent along its side. "Oh hell no." Jack muttered having some idea where his young partner's brain was headed. Mac grinned over at him.

"You always say you don't want to live forever." He teased Jack. Jack took a deep breath and braced himself. He looked back at the two guys behind him, "cover us!"

Riley was out of breath when she finally found Bozer and Cynthia Jean on stage. They were yelling at the crowd to exit faster. So far it was going well, but too slowly. Riley put her hands on her knees breathing hard.

"We gotta get these people out of here faster." She gasped.

"I know, but how?" Bozer said frustrated. The buildup of people chatted as they slowly headed toward the door. A few had panicked and ran out the door first. The rest were acting like it was a fire drill.

"We still have to find your friend, and whatever weapon whoever it is might have." Cynthia Jean reminded them as he scanned the area around her, her body tense.

"She could be anywhere." Bozer said despair in his voice.

"No, I think she's here in this building or close by. They haven't had time to go far with her. I also think she was there target all along." Cynthia Jean gave Riley a questioning gaze. Riley didn't answer. She turned to Bozer. "Any ideas? Bozer frowned. What would Mac do? He brightened.

"Sprinklers! We turn on the sprinklers." Riley nodded smiling.

"Great idea. You go do that, I'm going to turn all the lights on to make it easier to see."

"And me?" Cynthia Jean asked.

"Help get these people out of here." She nodded and again they split up at a run.

"I hate this." Jack said looking down at the roof of the theater. There was a gaping hole over the lobby filled with hundreds of pigeons flying in confusion trying to get away from the sound of the battle below them. It wasn't Mac's plan. He was used to that risk, and trusted the kid completely. It was the flying rats and probability of running into crawling ones he was nervous about. Ever since he'd gotten bit by a squirrel when he was a kid and had to get a series of rabies shots, he really didn't like anything in the rat family.

"I know." Mac said. He finished tying two red ropes he'd hauled up to the roof with him to the final rung of the ladder. Jack pulled out some glow sticks cracked them and tossed them down into the roof below them. The bright glow seemed brighter than he knew it was in the dark. Jack wished he could use the spotlight of the choppers but the roofs were too fragile for the rotor wash. He heard a shrill beeping and turned to see the ladder being scrolled out more until it hung higher and farther over the corner of the roof they stood on. Mac handed him one of the rope ends and backed as far away from the edge as he could. Jack followed him. They shared a look of fear tinged with excitement.

"I hate you so much." Jack said. Mac grinned, a fond look in his eyes.

"I know you do. I hate you too." With a roar, they both ran as fast as they could and leapt off the roof. They swung on the ropes then let go when they were over the opening in the roof. They both let go at the same time their momentum sending them in an arc ending inside the hole. Both had curled up and tried to relax their bodies, but they still landed hard. There was a tornado of feathers and bird squawks. Over this, they both heard old timber cracking then they were falling again, through the floor to the next level down.

Riley began to climb the iron stairs that led up to the light and sound control booth. Her breath was rasping, but she didn't slow down. She had run down the length of the center aisle. With the gunfire outside, people had begun to push and run for the door. The theater was empty. That was a huge relief. She didn't know why but she knew they were still on a clock and it was running down too fast. They had to find Penny and get the hell out of here! Suddenly there was an arm around her throat and she was being pulled over backwards. She managed to rasp in one last breath before the chokehold tightened. It was a good one. Thornton may have been a traitor, but she had taught Riley well. Riley tucked her chin before her throat could be completely closed off. At the same time, she kicked off the nearest step. It sent them both falling backwards. Riley landed on top. Breath whooshed out of her attacker. While he was dazed she slammed the back of her head into his face, his grip loosened. Riley smoothly rolled to her feet twisting as she did. She was pleased with the bone cracking sound followed by his scream of pain. She dropped his arm and turned around bracing for the next attack. One thing she knew for sure was that rental goons always travelled in packs. A rifle butt across the face dropped her to the ground. Everything faded a second, then she felt blood burn as it dripped into her left eye. She fought through the agony and kicked out solidly. It backed the second attacker a few steps. Riley fought to stand up. She made it up to a crouch before a fist into her already swelling head dropped her to her knees. A heavy boot rolled her over with agony flaring in her side. She looked up, the guy above her seemed to have blurry borders. She tried to gasp in air but couldn't. The man raised his weapon.

Riley had always wondered if your life really passed before your eyes when you faced death. As she stared at the black eye of the muzzle her only thought was relief that she hadn't peed herself. A stupid last thought, but there it was. She forced herself to meet the man's eyes. He smiled. Riley's lip curled up in anger. If she had any air, or time she would have lashed him with every swear and insult she could spit out. But she had no air. Suddenly a pair of hands reached from behind the man, one gripped the guys chin the other a cheek, there was a twist, snap and the man dropped to the ground unmoving. Riley stared at him, then looked up. Cynthia Jean frowned and pulled off the rest of a broken plastic nail. She reached down to help Riley rise to shaky feet. Riley was finally able to get air in, but held her side. She looked down. Three other guys laid sprawled unmoving on the ground around her. She gaped at Cynthia Jean who shrugged.

"Two tours, marines." She said. Riley grinned and they fist bumped.

"Ooorah!" She said.

"Semper Fi!" Riley turned and continued up the stairs, leaning heavily on Cynthia Jean's shoulders.

Bozer ducked under the narrow entryway below the stage. He absently pulled the chain hanging from a dangling lightbulb. In the moving light shadows seemed to dance all around him. He ran for the emergency panel which hung on the cement wall beside the fuse boxes. He grabbed the wooden mallet that hung on a length of twine tied to the box. Turning away he smashed the glass. He saw three nozzles. He grabbed the rusty metal and turned the first. It didn't move.

"Come on!" Bozer gritted. All that clay molding should be good for something! He held his breath and grabbed the small wheel with both hands squeezing and turning it as hard as he could. He felt the metal tear into his palms greasing them with blood. He gasped in pain and let the knob go. He paused then tore off his white suit coat. He wrapped the handle with it and began to put his weight into his grip. He supported his right wrist with his left hand. He heard a small squeak and swore he felt it move, just a little. "Yeah!" He shouted and redoubled his efforts. He heard a step behind him and half turned. His front was grabbed by a figure in black tac gear and he was slammed against the wall. The back of his head hit the corner of the fuse box. He cried out in pain then lashed out blindly with his knee. Bozer hit the sweet spot and the man backed away a hand over his privates. Before Bozer could celebrate he was tackled. He tried to shift the weight of his attacker off him, but he was too heavy. The man turned Bozer's head with a right cross then a left. Bozer struck out himself. He yelled as his fist hit a solid bone in the dude's face. At least the guy seemed as hurt as he was, and angrier. Oh crap. Bozer had a chance to think before fists started raining down on him. Then the man was gurgling. Bozer squinted up through already swelling eyes. A barbeque fork was stuck through his neck and blood dripped down. The man's face was frozen in shock.

"No, no, no— "Bozer muttered as the big dude tipped forward. Suddenly he couldn't breathe with the guy's meaty chest squishing his face. What a stupid way to die. He thought. This would never happen to John McClain or Brian Mills. Then the weight was gone and Bozer sucked in air. He saw two faces looking down at him. He blinked, bringing the faces into focus.

"Mr. and Mrs. Webley?" He gasped. The old pair of barbeque masters helped him up.

"Oh Bozer, you look terrible." Mrs. Webley said.

"Come on we have to move; those thugs are crawling around here like cockroaches." He held two shish kabob forks. He handed one to Bozer as Mrs. Webley pulled her fork from the man's throat. Bozer felt queasy and turned away gagging. Mr. Webley's kind blue eyes fixed on him. "Buck up sonny Jim, we got more work to do." Bozer frowned at him.

"Did you just quote John Wayne at me?" Mr. Webley shrugged.

"Was it John Wayne?" Bozer frowned.

"Not sure."

"Come on you two, I got a kid to find."

"Kid?" Her husband said laughing, "CJ's 37, Crystal!"

"He's still my kid."

"She, remember… she." Bozer grinned.

"Cynthia Jean? She's your…daughter?" The old feisty woman grinned back.

"Damn straight." She said turning away. Bozer's eyes widened.

"Wait we have to turn on the sprinklers." The old couple eyed him a long moment then turned back to the knob. Mr. Webley took in Bozer's excoriated hands. He shook his head, reached forward with his shish kabob fork and threaded it through the handle. He lifted with a slight grunt. The fork, acting like a lever easily turned the knob with a loud crack. Then cold water spurted over them. Bozer grinned, then frowned when what looked like blood ran down the Webley's faces. He tasted metal and it smelled like a rusty nail.

"Rust in the pipes," Mrs. Webley said turning to lead the way to the stairs. Bozer nodded sadly at the growing stains on his white tux, his rented white tux. He froze.

"Wait do you hear that?" He hissed. They all listened. Distantly Bozer heard screams. His eyes widened. "The bathrooms! That's down by the bathrooms." They all turned and dashed for the stairs leading down to the bathrooms.


	5. Chapter 5

There are different types of darkness. They each have a different feeling, different texture. Jack had made peace with them all during the years he'd fought and trained as a Delta. This darkness, however, was not his friend. He rolled over and coughed hard enough to gag. He waited for his eyes to adjust. His heart beat faster. Two things can cause that, total darkness or he was blind. He reached up and touched his eyes. He moved them. They stung. He coughed again. Things moved across his face. He brushed it away. He hoped it was dust and debris, not a nest of spiders. He wasn't afraid of spiders, but they did creep him out a bit. Jack mentally shuddered at the idea of spiders crawling across his face. He gagged again this time coming up with dusty phlegm. He rolled over and looked up. He could see a small light around the edge of what looked like a giant piece of wall. Jack smiled despite himself. He wasn't blind. Cool. He checked himself over, other than bruises and a deep cut along his left forearm he figured he was ok. He turned.

"We made it, Mac!" He called out. He listened as hard as he could for some sort of acknowledgement, some sort of sound. The feeble light coming in from the broken floor did nothing to light up the area around him. He really wished the copters he distantly heard overhead could fly over and light up their situation. "Mac? MAC!" Jack's heart slammed against his ribs. Jack bent over in a fit of coughing. He didn't hear any coughing come from MacGyver, he realized. His worry notched up to something just below panic. Then he heard a feeble groan. "Mac!" He crawled in the direction he thought he'd heard the sound. He paused. A soft cough followed by a whispered swear led him further on until his hand felt a foot.

"Jack?" Mac asked hoarsely. Jack put his hand on the kid's chest as he started a long coughing fit. Jack was both reassured and concerned. Mac's voice had been listless with exhaustion. The adrenaline high was gone. Mac sucked in air, then jumped with a squawk his arms moving to brush at his face. "Spiders!" Jack reached out and grabbed Mac's arm.

"No Mac, it's not spiders." Jack coughed a couple times himself. "I think this…wherever this is almost as dirty as under your bed." Jack could feel the glare even through the darkness. Jack laughed and instant karma sent him into an extended and painful coughing fit. Mac patted him on the back but offered no comfort. Jack figured that was fair. He sat and breathed a long minute before speaking.

"We have to get out of here, wherever here is. Any ideas?"

"I think this is the second attic, where they store their furniture for the plays. There is an old dumbwaiter that comes out near the boiler."

"Dumbwaiter?"

"Yeah, Jack, it's like a manual elevator."

"I know what a dumbwaiter is, it's always where they get rid of bodies."

"What?" Mac said partly amused and partly curious. Did Jack know that first hand?

"You know, in movies." Jack said, "obviously. Any idea which direction the dumbwaiter is in?"

"Northwest corner."

"Great, know which way the northwest corner is?" Jack asked. The almost complete darkness stole his normally perfect sense of direction.

"HEY!" Mac suddenly yelled. Jack jumped and moved forward running his hands along Mac's body. He didn't feel any injuries…

"Mac, are you ok?" He asked desperation entering his voice. Mac pushed his hands away.

"I'm fine, shush."

"Wha-?"

"Shush!" Jack shushed. "HEY! Hey, hey!" Mac finished off coughing weakly.

"Mac?"

"You hear that?" Mac said, barely above a whisper. Jack reached for where his friend's head was. Did he have a head injury? Again, Mac slapped the hand away. "Echoes." He explained. "The ceiling above the boiler room had to be made from metal or concrete…to prevent fire…they give a hollower echo…" Mac's voice trailed off. Jack felt his body go slack. He shook Mac. "Wh…?" Mac slurred. Jack reached up and ran his hands along Mac's head. He was relieved to find no bumps or sticky blood spots. He frowned. Mac felt cool to the touch. Exhaustion rearing its ugly head again. He shook Mac again. "Why…you keep doing that? Wanna sleep…shadows on the wall…" Mac's voice trailed off again. Frustrated Jack slapped Mac, hard. He felt Mac's body jerk into a sitting position. "Did you just hit me?"

"No," Jack lied getting to his feet and dragging Mac up with him.

"I think you did." Mac said softly.

"Which way?" Jack asked gently. He felt terrible for hitting his friend, but lives were at stake. He'd make it up to him later. Mac's legs wouldn't hold him. Jack held on pulling the kids left arm over his shoulder and grabbing Mac's waist with his right. Mac leaned on him and managed to sort of stay upright.  
"Over there?" Mac said, his voice muffled as he worked his jaw. Jack winced, did he break something? It'd only been a slap… "To the left." Mac said, his voice was clearer but weaker. Jack hauled him forward. It was slow going because they kept running into furniture. Jack almost lost Mac when the younger man ran into something huge. It gave a momentous crash as it fell over. Jack heard Mac cry out in pain. There was a snapping sound the floor cracked and the big mass, a black piano, crashed through it. Unfortunately, so did MacGyver. Jack managed to grab him under both arms then fling both backwards. The floor continued to crack, but held. Under their weight. From below them there was another loud crash then the sound of a scream which ended in a gurgle. Curious Jack edged forward and looked down. About a hundred feet below them in the lobby the piano sat in a broken heap. Jack saw a pair of black legs sprawl out from under it. He whooped.

"Mac, we just pianoed someone!" A ring of other black suited figures who had been in a circle staring at the piano in disbelief looked up and raised their guns. Jack backed away as bullets began to thump through the floor beneath them leaving holes in their wake. "Son of a bitch!" Jack hissed as one of the bullets grazed his thigh. At least they could see, sorta. The air was even thicker with plaster dust and who knows what else. Jack barely noticed. Mac was laying on his side unmoving. Jack didn't hesitate. He rolled over to Mac, grabbed him, stood and started zig zagging around furniture in the direction they were heading in. He grunted as his shin hit something metal and sharp. He swore and swerved, barely keeping both upright. This never happens to John McClain or Brian Mills, he snarled under his breath.

Riley wanted nothing more than to sit and get her breath back, but she didn't dare. Cynthia Jean hauled her up the final five stairs to the control center. Riley bent over the main console sucking in air a second.

"What do you need me to do?" Cynthia Jean said. Riley tried to spit out what they needed, but was interrupted when a bullet pinged off the scaffolding in front of her face. Her eyes widened and she stared at it frozen. Cynthia Jean grabbed her and took her down to the floor. Though fast, the move was surprisingly gentle. Cynthia crept over to the edge. Below them black figures seemed to be crawling out of the woodwork. He met Riley's eyes.

"Someone hired an entire army!" She hissed. Riley nodded in agreement. She rolled into a crouch, her hand pressed against her sore side. Did she have a broken rib? Mac and Jack got them frequently and just brushed them off like they were nothing more than an annoyance. If they felt what she felt, they were more insane than she'd thought.

"An army to kill us." Riley panted.

"Well at least it'll cost them a fortune." Cynthia Jean said with a snort. Riley leaned over ducking behind the huge lighting array. One of the big lights exploded with blue sparks. Riley winced as one of the sparks hit the back of her hand. It burned. She frowned. The shooters couldn't see them clearly because of the dark, but eventually one of them would get lucky especially as more and more of them looked up and began to fire at them. She looked desperately around her. What would Mac do? She smiled and turned back to Cynthia Jean.

"Beside your right knee, in the toolbox give me the big pipe wrench." Cynthia Jean looked down as she heard boots start to clang up the stairs two flights below them. She handed it over to Riley and dug in the box. She pulled out an exacto knife with a sharp blade shaped like a fang and a screw driver. She looked back to see Riley leaning far over the railing, too far. Riley screamed as she felt herself tilt forward. Cynthia Jean leapt forward and managed to grab the back of her belt and heave her back just as two bullets whined where she had just been. They both sucked in a breath. Riley grinned at Cynthia Jean.

"I'm so glad you're Bozer's date!"

"Me too, he's such a cutie." They rolled over and went back to their selected weapons. "I'll hold them off as long as I can." She said. Riley nodded then again bent over the lighting array. She snarled as she turned the thick nuts Mac had used to hang the lights. One broke loose and the pole holding the lights up tilted. Riley winced and turned away as one of the lights shone directly in her face. She swore she felt her hair curl and burn off. She put an elbow over her eyes to keep her from losing her sight permanently. By feel she backed away. She cried out and fell over as a bullet grazed her already agonizing side. She felt tears fall. The pain was unbearable. Darkness began to fizzle around her head. She glanced over and blinked. Above her in the middle of the catwalk Penny sat tied up in a chair. A group of black shadows kneeled on either side of her, Riley saw the glint of bright light off metal.

"Shit!" She snarled rolling away from the lights and underneath a table made of heavy wood held up by two filing cabinets. He sat up, gasping. Her hair stuck to her sweat like a woolen hat. Bullets smacked into her makeshift shelter growing in crescendo. She could see wood chips and sparks flying. More worrying was the steady thump of boots coming down the catwalk towards her. She closed her eyes. There was no way out.

"Jack!" She cried, tears falling down her cheeks. "Mac…Bozer…"

Bozer slowed his run as they drew to the open arch that lead off to the bathrooms. He cautiously peered around the corner. Both the bathroom doors were open and were blocked by the broad backs of goons. Bozer stood back behind the wall. He glanced over at the two-old people beside him.

"They're in both bathrooms…" He whispered. He stopped when he heard nasty laughing followed by screaming.

"Kids, those are just kids." Mrs. Webley said fire flashing in her eyes. Her fingers tightened on the bloody barbeque fork. Bozer gulped. He would not want this woman pissed at him. Mr. Webley crept closer and carefully peeked around the wall. He nodded.

"Bozer you and Crystal take care of that guy, I got this guy." He whispered. Mrs. Webley began to protest, but Mr. Webley wasted no time vanishing around the corner.

"Son of a Bitch!" Mrs. Webley yelled running to follow him.

"Oh, hell!" Bozer screamed, running after them before the terror pounding in his chest could freeze him. He plowed into the guy in the guy's room door. He managed to keep his shish kabob fork pointing outward and winced as it pushed into the man's back. The man stepped forward, but quickly recovered. No blood. Bozer realized he'd hit the guy in the reinforced back of the guy's tac gear. Not good. The man's gloved fist plowed into Bozer's already sore face knocking him back on his ass. Before he could register the pain, the man pulled him up by his shirt his fist raised to punch Bozer again. Bozer remembered a move Mac had shown him once. With the thought came a flame of worry. "I don't have time for this!" He growled planting his feet and pushing forward. He'd never gotten the chance to play football, especially after The Incident, but Bozer had always loved a good rough and tumble. He yelled as he reached around the guy's middle, pushed his shoulder in the weakest spot of the guy's tac and pushed him over backwards. The breath whooshed out of the guy. Bozer didn't wait he lashed out with his fist then held it and howled in pain. The guy was wearing he helmet. That had never slowed Mac or Jack down. Bozer bent forward grabbed the helmet with both hands and heaved back with all his might. He grinned as a handful of straw hair came off with the helmet. He then pivoted and smashed down with the helmet. It took two hits before the man stopped moving. Bozer fell forward on all fours and looked up. A group of ten kids he guessed to be around 10 looked up at him with wide eyes. He stood up shaking his hand. He tried to smile reassuringly. Suddenly he was caught in a tight bear hug made by twenty tiny arms. He patted the closest on the shoulder.

"Hey, hey that's ok." He knelt and let all the kids cuddle close to him. He pulled as many as he could into comforting hugs. He kept murmuring comfort as he tried to stand up and herd them toward the door. He tensed hearing footsteps come toward him but relaxed when the Wadley's led a smaller group of kids a little older toward him. "Let's get you guys out of here…" Bozer was interrupted by a familiar scream. His heard stopped. He pivoted and tried to untangle himself.

"Riley!" He yelled. He glanced behind him to see the Wadley's pulling kids toward them. Mr. Wadley smiled at him.

"Go give 'em hell, son." Bozer spared him a grin before running at a sprint. He skidded on the wet floor and caught himself with a hand against the wall. He realized the sprinklers had stopped. When did that happen? He shook his head. They didn't run long enough to do any good. He realized. He heard a loud chorus of gunfire and pushed himself forward faster. "Hold on Riley!" He said over and over as he sprinted toward the steps to the upper levels.

Jack huffed as he gently set down the unconscious MacGyver. Behind them in a small alcove was a huge dark opening at the bottom of which sat the tilted metal top of the dumbwaiter. Unlike the ones in the movies, this one was huge, big enough to transport furniture from upstairs Jack supposed. It was also broken. Jack leaned back wincing as his back popped. He then went to one knee wincing at the sharp burn in his thigh. Now that he could see Mac, his panic blossomed to full bloom. He was pasty pale, like a corpse. Jack forced the thought away. He refused to keep it anywhere in his headspace, ever. He bent and checked his partner over. Jack could see the vein in his neck pulsate in a regular rhythm. His breathing was slow. Jack tried shaking him and yelling his name to no effect. He thought of slapping again, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He looked around him. There was an old metal stove on its side in pieces. A row of costumes lined the brick wall on the other side. They were held up by a thick rope. Jack frowned looking for some sort of weapon. His eyes lit up on a narrow-rusted pipe. He lifted it up, surprised by its heft. It was a little too long to work as a club. Jack smiled at the sharp edge. Now a sword? That would do. He glanced down at Mac. With a sense of deja vu he found himself considering whether to leave him as he was or take him with him. No one would be here to watch his back. Jack could hear the bustle of boots going up and down metal stairs. He looked over. A ladder led up a floor and the boot sounds came from up there. Jack had never been in the theater. He wasn't sure why his younger friends thought he wouldn't help them with this project. He tacked that up to the mention later category. He knelt beside Mac and pulled a strand of blond hair away from his forehead.

"You go on and rest up, bud. I'll make sure everyone's safe." A familiar scream came distantly through the hatch at the top of the ladder.

"Riley!" Jack hissed. With one final glance at his best friend he ran to help his kid.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks, everyone for your awesome reviews!**

Finally, Jack had a target for his anger. When he came to the stairs they were crawling with bad guys in black tac gear. They were guarding the way to what looked like the highest catwalk. If they were guarding it, that was where he had to go. Jack grinned feeling the surge of adrenaline that came with battle. He leapt in, taking them totally by surprise. He kicked the nearest behind his left knee the man fell forward making some room for Jack to work. He elbowed the guy beside him in the throat. He speared out with his rusty pole sword. He managed to penetrate the armor, but the guy tumbled down the stairs taking Jack's weapon with him. Jack kicked forward and doubled a guy over. Jack then kneed him in the head, he managed to catch that guy's gun. He couldn't get it off the strap so held the guy in front of him and aimed from behind. This turned to be a good strategy as the guy's body jerked as bullets hit it. Jack pressed the trigger using controlled blast. The goons went down, Jack aiming either at legs or heads. After one long sustained burst, all of them were down. He dropped his shield and the guy's gun. He grabbed another off a guy moaning holding his leg. Jack kicked him in the head and pulled off his tac vest. He ducked as bullets pinged off the railing. Frowning he laid flat and peered off the catwalk. There was only a handful of black suited people shooting up at them. He frowned. These wore badges.

"Hey! We're on your side!" He yelled. The bullets didn't stop only homed in on his position. "Son of a bitch!" He looked down the catwalk and saw Penny. She sat with her back to the railing and wore a vest that had two vials of liquid hooked up to some device one was dark and one looked like water. Binary bomb, Jack muttered. Penny look at him with terror. She was gagged with a strip of black cloth. He tried to smile reassurance, but it broke off in a grunt of pain as a bullet grazed his right calf. "SON OF A BITCH!" He yelled in fury. He yelled out to them again. Past Penny, on the other side of the catwalk. Jack could see a flurry of goons firing toward an electric console or something. There he saw Riley fighting against a guy who was trying to pull her down the stairs by her hair. Jack snarled and got up and powered down the catwalk firing over at them. The one holding Riley folded over his abdomen then pitched off the platform. He landed on the dangling light array causing the lights to explode. There was a sizzle then they burst into flames. "Shit!" Jack muttered forcing himself to run faster, ignoring the now pair of bullet grazes that flared to serious hurt. He heard the crackle of a radio. He fervently hoped they were going to be told to stand down. Instead he heard the Captain's deep voice.

"Are they dead yet?"

"Negative," the guy closest to the exit replied.

"Fall back in five mikes, capture one alive for interrogation."

"Affirmative, Captain."

Jack reached Penny's side. She had a bloody shoulder. She'd taken one in the shoulder.

"Easy sweetheart, I'll get you out of here in a second, ok." Penny stared at him a long minute then nodded. Jack pulled out a blade and more clips from the tac vest he carried. He draped it over her. He cut the gag and went to cut the ropes that held her in place.

"No, Jack don't" A familiar voice yelled at him. Jack looked behind him and broke into a grin. MacGyver being held up by Bozer was slowly making his way down the catwalk. He looked a little more awake but not by much. Jack fired down at the other end of the catwalk. Glancing back, he saw Bozer carrying a white gallon tub. Jack hoped like hell Mac had some way out of this in that jug. The fire licked the old timber and was quickly spreading. Riley had sunk to the metal and wasn't moving. Jack forced down his panic. She was directly over the fire. He was already feeling like sausage on the griddle. He had to get her out of there. He fired a long burst to keep the goons occupied as he knelt and snapped in another clip. He looked back. Bozer and Mac were only fifteen feet behind him. They leaned against the far railing trying to avoid the pinging bullets. Mac met his eyes and nodded. He said something that Jack couldn't hear. Bozer translated into a yell. "Leave the knife." Jack nodded and put the knife on Penny's lap.

"Hold onto that ok, sweetheart." He didn't like the wide glassy look he got back. Shock. Jack grunted as he stood up and plowed down the catwalk. Or he tried to. Above him he heard a loud snap and dust rained down on him. The catwalk tilted under him and he had to grab the left railing to avoid going over. He lost his gun. Something snapped him in the side of the face. He winced and looked down. One of the cables holding up the rusted catwalk had snapped. One of the armed guys further down slid off and into the raging fire. Jack coughed. He couldn't see Riley through the smoke. The other goons were distracted. There was another loud snap and another cable broke on the other side of the catwalk. Jack almost lost his footing but held onto the railing grimly. The catwalk was tipping side to side, it was like a bad boat ride. Jack gritted his teeth and moved on.

Jack set his feet and managed to knock another guy down into the inferno below. The remaining two guys dropped their guns and ran for the stairs. As if sensing fresh kill, the fire had reached the stairs and flared. Jack turned out the screams, the smoke and the godawful heat. He pushed his was through a large tongue of flame to reach Riley's side. She was pale. A loud series of pops had Jack ducking. He looked back. No more bad guys. He realized it was ammo cooking off. Marvelous. He lifted Riley. Coughing he turned the way he came. This was so not good, like Cairo not good. He winced as he jumped over another tongue of flame. He decided never to take R and R again.

Mac collapsed next to Penny and tried to smile at her. It didn't help that now he was seeing two of her. The heat and wobbling of the catwalk didn't help. He lifted the knife in a trembling hand and shook sweat out of his eyes. He slumped to the hot metal grating. He felt everything wave in and out of a black cloud. Smoke he told himself. Bozer was at his side and pulled him up to a sitting position. His eyes were wide.

"Mac, what do I do?" He said. Mac stared at him a long minute then shook his head.

"Get me closer." He said. Bozer dragged him closer. Penny stared at him and the knife. Her mouth was moving but Mac could only hear the thumping of his heart. He blinked. Binary bomb. The device it was attached to was complicated. He frowned. He'd seen that design before. He shook his head, he'd worry about that later. If there was a later. He focused on the wires and tuned everything else out. He cut a couple of wires deactivating the triggers in the ropes holding Penny. He went to work on the mixing mechanism and frowned. There was no mixing mechanism. The two tubes were separate. He carefully cut the wires holding the vial of water. It dropped from his shaking hand to the fire below. Mac stared at it a long minute.

"Come on Mac." He followed the gentle voice to a blur that belonged to Jack. He was kneeling beside them with Riley in his arm. Mac frowned noticing the huge blood stain spreading on Riley's shirt. He shook his head.

"This is wrong." He said.

"I'll say." Bozer said terror in every word. Mac looked at the remaining vial. He reached out to it and yelped in pain. He looked at his hand. Acid burn. His eyes widened. There was another snap and another cable snapped. The catwalk tilted down. They all started to slide down. The white gallon jug slid off the catwalk. "Mac!" Bozer yelled in panic. Mac leaned forward having trouble breathing. He had guessed wrong about the chemical used. It was a combination chemical and biological agent. He'd only seen it once before. He looked at Jack who was holding onto Riley and Penny.

"Valhalla…" He said as loud as he could.

"What?" Jack said leaning closer. Mac managed to rasp out the word again. Jack's eyes widened. Mac collapsed in Bozer's arms. Bozer looked at Jack. Jack let go of Riley and Penny reached up to the vest ripped it off and threw it into the fire below. There was another snap and suddenly the catwalk end Jack had come up crashed to the floor. All of them slid toward the stage. More cables snapped. Bozer managed to grab a railing and looked at Jack with desperation. Jack smiled an idea forming. "Let go."

"What?"

"Let go, trust me. And hold onto Mac." Bozer rolled Mac into both of his arms closed his eyes and screamed. He smacked into a wall. He laid there breathing a long second, then the others slammed into them. A second later there was another snap and the catwalk collapsed into the raging fire. Jack bounced to his feet carrying Riley. "C'mon." He yelled. Bozer pulled Penny to her feet. He leaned in close.

"Follow Jack! Go on!" Penny blinked at him, nodded and stumbled after him. Bozer bent down hauled Mac up and grunted staggered after them. Jack led them into the boiler room. He set Riley down and slid down the ladder. Penny followed. Bozer lowered Riley then Mac and climbed down. He knew the room was made of brick. At first, he breathed in relief, then he remembered they used to cook bread in brick ovens. He looked over at Jack who was desperately pulling the broken stove away from the wall.

"Heat vent." Jack gritted. Bozer went and helped. He saw a small tube shining with bright light. He realized it was a spotlight. The problem was that it was only a foot big. He looked at jack who was grabbing a solid piece of metal and started smashing at the wall. "Every…thing about…this place…is falling apart…" He explained between strikes. He was rewarded by a clump of bricks falling. He and Bozer scooped them out of the way until there was a three-foot hole. They crawled through in the same order they'd gone down the ladder. Bozer fell onto hard cement. He recognized the alley.

"We made it!" He said taking his first clean breath in a long time. He grinned over at Jack who held out his fist. With a grin, they stood to take the others over to the front of the theater. "That was not fun."  
"Whatever doesn't kill ya and all that." Jack said. He was just glad to be alive. He'd gotten everybody out safe, like he promised Mac. He looked down at his best friend. Yeah, alive, against a whole fricking army. Then Mac began to twitch. Bozer who was about to lift him up set him back down. He looked up at Jack more afraid than he had been on the catwalk. Then Mac began to have a full-on seizure.


	7. Chapter 7

The room was quiet, too quiet. Jack hated hospitals. He leaned forward on his knees and ran his hands through his hair. His bruises and scrapes, and he put the bullet grazes in that category, were healed. Riley was doing better. Jack told himself. She had broken her bottom left rib and with the added pressure of the bullet it had stabbed into her liver. She had lost a lot of blood and it was touch and go while they stabilized her for surgery. Riley was now downstairs on the medical unit, healed enough to grouse at everyone walking by that she wanted out of here. Jack didn't blame her. He'd spent too much time in hospitals, himself as patient and worse with a friend or loved one as the patient. Jack stood up and started to pace. Ironically out of all of them, Bozer was the least affected physically. Jack was proud of the two they more than held their own and kicked ass. He stood looking out the doorway. A nurse in maroon scrubs was arguing with a family member about meds. The other nurses were huddled laughing and talking excitedly at the nurse's station. He heard snippets about vacationing in Australia. He frowned and went back into the ICU room. He walked a circuit of the room before plopping down in the chair he'd occupied for the past week. Luckily it pulled out into a narrow cot so he had been able to sleep in the room with Mac. Not that he got much sleep. Jack felt tears prick his eyes and forced himself to look at the bed. It was taller than other beds throughout the hospital. Four rails were pulled up on either side to prevent the patient from crawling or falling out of bed. Jack wished Mac would crawl out of bed. More than anything Jack wanted Mac to sit up smile with knowing mischief and make a toaster out of all the electric equipment surrounding him. Or something, anything. Not much scared Jack, but he was terrified. He sat back down and pushed closer looking at the instruments. A tall IV pole hung over his bed filled with three different bags. Jack had been told what all they did, but he had been in no shape to listen. A monitor hung on the wall over his bed. A steady line squiggled across in a slow but normal rhythm. Jack knew that was a good thing. Jack's eyes fell to the only thing making noise in the entire room. The ventilator looked like some sort of stereo equipment. It had a wide wrinkled tube that fed to a tube taped to the corner of Mac's mouth. The machine gave a low whish then the tube shook and Mac's chest rose and fell. Another pole held a small square machine. A large plastic bag the color of heavily creamed coffee drained through the machine to a tube that went down Mac's nose. Jack knew that was feeding him, but the idea of having a tube down the nose kinda freaked him out. He looked at Mac's face. One of the day nurses had said Mac looked like he was asleep. She was wrong. When Mac slept, he looked like a child on pause, waiting for the right time to pop up and move onto the next plaything.

His face was almost as pale as the rough sheets he slept on. It had a greyish tinge that made it look like one of Bozer's early mask attempts. It hung slack. Jack stood up and turned his back to the bed going to the window to look out. He covered his eyes with his finger and thumb trying to hold in the tears that have been leaking out since they had airlifted Mac. He had been taken to isolation for a week. The virus half of the compound had been out of balance with whatever chemicals they had put in it. Otherwise Mac would have died instantly. Jack heard a soft footstep at the door. He turned expecting the nurse to be coming in. Instead it was Mattie. She paused a grim look on her face. She looked at Jack and stepped in the room.

"How is he?" She asked softly. Jack always wondered why people whispered in the ICU as if it were a church. He cleared his throat and swiped at his eyes, blinking and willing the tears to disappear. Despite this his voice still cracked with emotion when he spoke.

"The same." Mattie nodded and peered at Jack.

"How are you?" Jack opened his mouth to answer but knew he would start bawling like a baby in the face of her concern. Why did it hurt so much when people cared about him while Mac was like he was? He turned and plopped into the chair. He just shook his head and looked at the floor. Mattie nodded. She crossed to Mac's side and held his hand a long minute. His hand was uncomfortably cool to the touch. Mattie swallowed determined that she would not break down, the others needed her to be strong. She fiddled with the covers putting Mac's arm under the covers.

"Wha…" Jack cleared his throat. "What did you find out about Valhalla?" Mattie frowned anger sparking in her eyes.

"The CIA deny that anyone from project Valhalla is still alive." Jack smiled coldly. The smile didn't reach his eyes.

"We did our best." Mattie smiled grimly. "Obviously Sheckter is dead, but someone has just enough of his formula to make a close replica." She looked down at Mac.

"Glad of that." Jack muttered. Mattie smiled and began to pace.

"But there is obviously some tie to Valhalla."

"I want them, Mattie." Jack said his eyes sharp and deadly as a sword.

"I know Jack, but right now we don't know anything. When Mac wakes up he can tell us…" Jack jumped to his feet and raised his voice.

"No, Mattie, I don't want Mac involved with these bastards again. This is the second time they nearly finished him off. "Jack's voice failed as he remembered their attack of the compound, Mac's screams. He shook his head forcing the nightmare memory away. This is now, not then. Never again then.

"I understand Jack." Mattie's voice softened. "But right now, we don't know who the bastards are."

"We know they are able to get together an army of mercs, a huge one so they got money. And they had guys dressed up as cops…"

"No Jack, they actually were cops."

"All of them?" Jack said raising his eyebrows.

"Most of them had more than ten years in." Jack stared at her. He shook his head. He admired the hell out of cops. What they did, for what they got paid, and the crap they had to put up with…

"Where are they now? These many guys can't just vanish."

"Every agency's on it. We'll find them. In the meantime, we should figure out why they wanted to sabotage the play, what do they want with this neighborhood?"

"Mac would have that figured out by now." Jack sat down and grabbed Mac's hand. The first few days he talked constantly to try and wake Mac up, now he spoke words in his heart that his brain couldn't translate. Mattie surprised him by putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked over eye to eye with her. She smiled but said nothing. She turned and went to leave.

"Riley is going to be discharged tomorrow. Bozer has been by her side this whole time." She offered. Jack managed a wan smile.

"That's good." Jack waited until she was almost out of earshot. "Thanks Mattie." She paused in midstep, then continued walking down the hall.

 _Mac sat in a hard-wooden chair. He frowned down at it. He had sat on one just like it in high school. He glanced around him. Instead of a class room he was floating in the middle of a slightly choppy lake, or pond. He corrected himself. All around the pond in every direction he saw feminine curves of sand dunes. His chair bobbed up and down gently. A gently breeze whispered through his hair. He could almost hear voices, but in every direction, he saw no one. Mac looked down at the feet of the chair. They were normal, no floaters, no boat. He frowned wondering how it was done. His mind skipped to the skating of water bugs across still water in a river he and Bozer had fished in Mission City. They walked on water by using the natural tension of water. There was no way that would work with someone of his size, not even with the surface tension of Jell-O. He dipped his toe into the water. It felt the same as any other water he'd ever swam in. He began to wonder about salt content. The Great Salt Lake gave a greater buoyancy to its swimmers._

 _"_ _Is that really how you spend your time?" Mac gasped and looked up. A beautiful woman, the most beautiful woman gazed at him fondly._

 _"_ _Mom?" He asked._

 _"_ _Of course, dear. Who did you expect?" Mac closed his mouth. Now he thought about it seemed to be somehow right she was here. Wherever here is._

 _"_ _Am I dead?" He asked, his voice coming out like a child's. She smiled at him and shrugged. She bent over a table that was between them. Mac jumped back in his chair. Had that always been there. A large ornate chess game was spread across the table. With a smile, Mac missed every day, she moved her knight then looked at Mac. Mac leaned over the game, his mind processing possibilities._

 _"_ _Checkmate in five." He said smiling up at her. She chuckled._

 _"_ _Then we better hurry."_

 _"_ _Hurry?" Mac frowned looking around him. Everything was the same, but the sky seemed to be seething with multicolor clouds that were thickening._

 _"_ _There's going to be a storm." She moved her bishop and took his rook. Mac frowned. He was sure that was an illegal move, but he wasn't sure. He didn't really care. He looked at his Mom._

 _"_ _Why are you here? Where is here?" She held up a hand to stop the fountain of questions bubbling out._

 _"_ _Son, you know why." Mac frowned. His mother had never been this cryptic in life. Of course, he reminded himself, he'd only been five when she died._

 _"_ _You died…and Dad…" She reached across the table and took a hand in hers. Her hand was soft and fit with his like a glove. He felt warm, comfortable._

 _"_ _Shush, dear, it's ok. Really." She moved her queen. Mac frowned. She almost had him in checkmate._

 _"_ _I'm gonna lose." He said with a sigh, sacrificing his bishop. She laughed._

 _"_ _That's up to you."_

 _"…_ c'mon, Mac. You've been sleeping too long." _The voice ghosted along the wind. Mac smiled looking around._

 _"_ _Bozer!" He said. He slumped back. His friend wasn't there. He turned back to his Mom. "Where did he go?"_

 _"_ _You got a good one there, I was so proud of you being such good friends with Wilt. Although nuking the football field was naughty." Mac smiled at her chuckle, then frowned._

 _"_ _You were dead when that happened."_

 _"_ _Was I? Hmm." She said moving her queen again. Mac's heart began to beat faster._

 _"_ _Mom, what is this?"_

 _"_ _Checkmate, son. You should have paid more attention."_

"Get a sedative…he's bucking the vent…" _Mac looked around him. The clouds were dark grey now. The wind was picking up. His mom stood up. She walked up to him. The table and chess game was gone. Mac gasped as he realized he wasn't in a chair any more but standing on water. His mom shook his shoulders._

 _"_ _Angus MacGyver, are you ignoring your mother?" She asked with a gentle laugh. He stared at her and looked down. She was touching him. It was real. He reached out and touched her arm. He grinned. She was real! He reached forward and held her willing away all the painful years since she was gone. She held him. He felt himself sobbing. She patted her back and rocked him._

 _"_ _Shush, son. It's alright," She gently pushed him back a step and looked directly in his eyes. She looked sad. "I am so proud of you, and I love you so much. I wish we could stay…but you know why we're here." Mac wiped his face with the edge of his shirt. His heart was an anchor dragging him back to the familiar grief and abandonment. He stood up straight and took a deep breath. He nodded and kissed her on the cheek._

 _"_ _Goodbye, Mom." He said softly. She touched his_ chin _and gazed at him a long minute then was gone. The minute she was gone Mac sank into the water with a splash. It was dark, cold…he felt a current bringing him down. He fought against it, pulling to the surface…_

"Look, he's waking up!"

"Yeah, man, that's what I'm talking about!"

"C'mon Mac open those baby blues." Mac felt like a pair of cement trucks sat on his eyelids. Slowly he forced them open. He blinked and reached up to wipe away the crust on his eyelashes. He then blinked again. His hand dropped down limply. A group of faces came into focus around him. He frowned.

"Mom? Where's Mom?" He asked softly. The others shared a look. Mac felt the world click into place. He smiled before they could say anything. "Hey guys." They paused not sure whether to say anything or not. As usual it was Jack who spoke first.

"I ain't your Mom, bro, but if I was I'd say you overslept a bit." Jack grinned. Mac smiled back taking in the room and the state of his friends. He frowned. Bozer still had some bruising around his eyes. Jack had a row of stitches down his cheek. Riley looked pale and sat hunched forward in a wheel chair.

"What happened? Are you alright?" He asked trying to sit up. Bozer went to put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, but Mac flopped back like a fish. He found himself breathing heavy. His chest felt raw. His throat felt like he'd had mono and there was something in his nose. He reached up and Bozer grabbed his hand and put it back on the bed. He had tears glistening in his eyes.

"Gotta leave that in, man. That's been what feeding you." Mac's eyes widened.

"Feeding me?"

"Yeah, you've been out of it almost a month." Again, Mac went to sit up. This time he managed to lean on a trembling elbow.

"A month! What happened?" Riley and Bozer looked at Jack who scooted his chair closer.

"What do you remember?" He asked. Mac frowned and shook his head.

"Just flashes…" He pushed himself up straighter. "Penny? Is she OK?" Jack put a hand on his arm. His face was more serious than Mac wanted.

"She's fine. She had a rough time but she's doing fine." He looked at Bozer who shrugged.

"What?" Mac said laying back down and catching his breath.

"She…uh…" Bozer began.

"She's gone back to Mission City for a while to sort things out." Riley said. Mac closed his eyes. Another friend he hurt.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault now. You hear me?" Jack said. Mac opened his eyes and sighed.

"Yeah, I know." The heavy tone in his voice told them all he didn't believe it.

"When can I get out of here?" He asked. Jack smiled.

"Well getting you awake was the hard part. Now that your done lazing off…" He trailed off as Mac snorted.

"Right, this was just sleep."

"You did need sleep, Mac." Riley said. Mac shot her a quick glare.

"Well you look better." Bozer said straightening out the edge of Mac's bed.

"You still tired?" Jack asked cocking his head to the side.

"I'm fine." He paused then looked at Jack with a serious expression, "did we get all these bastards?" Before Jack could say anything, Riley spoke up.

"We got a lot of them, but Mattie is looking for their bosses and trying to figure out what they're up to. Mac saw the fleeting look of anger cross his face. He knew exactly where that was coming from.

"Good, then we can get them all." He didn't turn away from Jack's glare. "All of us." Jack stared back a challenge in his eyes. Mac saw the crinkles around Jack's eyes tightened. He knew that Jack had skipped back to the past. He reached out and squeezed Jack's hand. "All of us." He repeated. Jack slowly nodded. Mac smiled and another yawn escaped. He laid back and didn't try to fight his heavy eyes anymore. Finally, he could rest.


End file.
